When someone gets hurt as a result of a violence that they were not a part of, they are often called “innocent bystanders” – and they are just that, innocent. But what about guilty bystanders? Is there such a thing?

I say yes.

A guilty bystander is someone who sees and doesn’t take action. You can do this as a parent, co-worker, or friend. We see people in challenges all around us. It can be as little as a spilled drink on a desk and you just stand there and watch them clean it, to a stranger you slightly know who is fighting stage IV cancer.

In between, before and after those scenarios are a plethora of things we choose to not take action on. It is a real shame. We expect OTHERS to do it – or we think, “they don’t need my help” – but they do.

You do matter.

A dad I know, Oren Miller, a loving dad who values fatherhood and community has been hit with stage IV Cancer. I could sit at home, sad for him, just “like” a post that asks others to donate, or even just share it. I could hug my kids tighter tonight and be grateful for my health. Maybe I will read a blog and comment – “you are in my prayers.” All good things.

But that is not enough.

Faith – without action – is dead. Look up the verse. So I take action, share, donate, write and pray. The option of being a bystander is not one I choose. It’s one of the reasons Poptism.org exists.

Don’t be a bystander.

Don’t fall for the bystander effect and think “others will chip in” – that’s not what the world needs. We don’t need one hand reaching out to help others, we need every hand to reach out and changing the things we see in our local community, our family, our friends & neighbors – that’s where we can make an impact.

We also can’t be embarrassed to ask for help.

Today, more than ever, help is right there on the internet – waiting for you. Sites like GiveForward exist for you to give help to many people who just need a hand. People want to take action across the world – you matter.

Your prayers are waiting to be answered – if you just put yourself out there. You can use Giveforward, or countless other sites to get the help you need. I find it funny that some of us have more faith in Lotto than our fellow human being.

I think of the joke about the priest on a rooftop during a flood – he prayed and prayed for God to save him, a boat came – he turned it away, “God will save me” he said, then another, and finally a helicopter – until he drowned. When he gets to heaven he asks God – “why didn’t you save me?” – and God replies, “I sent you a boat, and a helicopter.” You see, God doesn’t work in mighty miracles, sometimes its just a simple hand.